Circle F Dude Ranch Summer Camp
Camp Medication
Camp Parents and Guardians,
Summer camps are required to follow a stringent and complex set of rules and regulations as it relates to medications for minors. These rules may seem unnecessary; however, they are based on Florida law. We ask that you carefully review the medication section. Even if your child does not have prescriptions or take a daily medication, it applies to over the counter medications, supplements, and vitamins.
Circle F Camp Administration
Medication FAQs
Yes! Our nurses can not administer any medication, including supplements, over-the-counter drugs including Advil, Tylenol, allergy medication, and other common medications without a doctor’s order while at camp. If you choose not to complete a standing order, we will not be able to provide any type of medication at camp.
In cases where last-minute prescriptions have been provided due to medical need, please bring the medication in the original bottle with a written note from your doctor with details on the dosage and administration of the drug for our nursing staff.
No! You are welcome to use your own pharmacy. However, we ask that you meet the requirements as outlined for all medication packaging.
In some rare cases, CampMeds and pharmacies cannot package mediation as requested. Please bring your medication in the original packaging and bottles if this is the case.
The nurses regularly dispense medications four times a day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and prior to bedtime. When your camper is on a camp trip, their medication will be dispensed by a counselor. Unit-dose packaging helps the staff with efficient and accurate dispensing of medications.
Because some medications take 4-6 weeks to reach a therapeutic level, please speak with a director if your child’s medication has been altered within three months of the start of camp. Additionally, ADHD medications can have the same benefits for your camper in the camp community as it does in school. Helping them focus in activities, or diminish impulsive behavior in social situations could give the same advantage to succeed at camp.
All unused medication will be returned to you on Closing Day. Please remember to pick up your child’s medication from the health center table in the main office.
Incidental treatment and supplies are handled at camp with no charge, but prescriptions or “in-town” doctor or dentist visits will be billed to your insurance company on file and parents will be responsible for payment. Parents will be invoiced for any medical or prescription charges incurred by Circle F Dude Ranch Camp.
What is Considered Medication?
Anything taken to treat or manage a condition or symptoms is considered Medication. All medications must be kept in the Health Center. Except for an emergency inhaler for asthma, emergency epi-pens, and prescription dermatological creams, campers are not allowed to keep Medication in their cabin, including pain relievers, vitamins, and other over-the-counter medications. Please remember that all vitamins, dietary supplements, medical supplements, and drugs are medications while at camp.
Any medications that are taken daily will require a prescription for camp, including over-the-counter medicines.
Options for Medication Ordering
To help ensure your prescription medication is properly packaged from camp we ask that you choose from one of the following flexible options. Please indicate your preference on the online Health form:
Option 1: Use CampMeds Inc.
Circle F Dude Ranch Camp has partnered with the Florida based CampMeds Inc. to provide properly packaged medication shipped directly to camp.
- If using CampMeds you will be required to register with CampMeds to supply your child’s medicine while at camp.
- All pills will be dispensed and individually packaged in sealed packets labeled with your child’s name, medicine, dosage, date, and time to be given in compliance with Circle F medication guidelines.
- All medication will be shipped to camp prior to your child’s arrival. The CampMeds affiliated pharmacy will dispense all prescription and non-prescription meds taken daily or as needed. This includes vitamins and supplements.
- You can find all the details on the Registeration Document PDF for CampMeds and any questions answered on their FAQ Document PDF.
Option 2: Use your local pharmacy.
Ask your local pharmacist to package a supply (enough for the length of the camp session, including Opening/Closing Days) of any prescription and over-the-counter tablet and capsule medications (prescription required) taken on a daily basis, in unit-dose (blister pack) containers that meet Circle F Dude Ranch Camp guidelines (see medication Packaging section for details).
Medication Administration: “Prescribed vs. As-Needed”
To improve the efficiency and accuracy of administering Medication at camp, Circle F Dude Ranch Camp has specific guidelines for handling medications at camp. We require all of your child’s prescription(s) and any over-the-counter oral medicines taken daily to be packaged and dispensed according to our guidelines.
Understanding how the camp views the difference between prescribed and as-needed Medication is essential.
For example, if your child takes Claritin every day, your doctor must prescribe it, and it must be filled according to our guidelines. If your child may need Claritin on an occasional “as-needed” basis, you may bring the Claritin with you to camp. The style in which your child’s Medication is administered will affect what type of packaging will be required.
All prescribed tablets and capsule medications are to be filled by a pharmacist in a specific type of unit-dose (blister pack) container based on the administration time and the prescription label on the package. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medications taken daily. If your child takes over-the-counter melatonin or Zyrtec, daily, as an example, the doctor must write a prescription and it must be filled and packaged according to our guidelines. Most doctors understand this and are happy to write a prescription.
Medications taken on an “as-needed” basis, such as migraine medicine, do not require unit-dose packaging but must be in the original packaging with an original pharmacy label. Common medications such as pain relievers, antihistamines, eardrops, wound ointments and creams, and antacids are stocked in our Health Center. You do not need to bring such medications to camp. Due to variances in personal preferences, camp staff will not provide or apply insect repellent. Your child may bring their own non-aerosol repellent and apply it themselves. Please contact a director should you have any questions or concerns.
Preparing the Health Center
Plan to visit health check-in on opening day, with your child, to discuss any prescribed medications or “as needed” medications brought with you. Please complete the Medication section of the online Health Form in your camper’s online account to let us know your child’s prescription(s) and how they will arrive at camp so that we are prepared and follow-up accordingly. Again, compliance with our medication policies is required.
Daily Medication Packaging
We use 30-day unit-dose packaging at camp. A separate unit-dose package (blister pack) is used for each time of day that medication is dispensed. Please do not have multiple administration times packaged in the same blister pack. We require a 30-day supply of medications for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, packaged separately.
For example, if medication A is taken daily at breakfast, we need (1) 30-day blister-pack for medication A. If medication A is taken at breakfast and dinner, we need 2 blister packs for medication A. If 2 medications are taken at the same time of day, they may be packaged together or in separate blister packs.
You must visit the Health Center Station, with your child, on Opening Day of camp if your child takes any medication or has any health concerns. Please do not bring medications that have not been packaged according to our guidelines to camp on Opening Day. The exception would be a new prescription for an illness prescribed right before camp starts, such as an antibiotic. This would need to be in the original bottle, labeled by the pharmacy.
Vacation Overrides for Medications
You may need to fill a prescription for camp before your child’s next refill is available insurance-wise. Your pharmacy may have to do a “vacation override” to satisfy the insurance company. CampMeds can work with your insurance company regarding vacation overrides, too.